Feb 2, 2013 5:10 PM
Officer/ROTC question: Need clarification please.
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I'm a junior in high school planning to do the split option program and become an officer after i get my bachelors degree. My recruiter said i will sign a contract after my sophmore year of college to be able to earn my degree and become undeployable. Does that mean i don't have to do ROTC my first 2 years of college?
I am pretty sure you do, but you just don't sign the contract until after sophomore year.
what exactly does the contract do? How is does the split option differ if i were to do the SMP program?
If you are contracted, it means you will become an officer upon graduation. No contract or scholarship=no officer.
I only think you'd still have to do ROTC...I don't know too much about the SMP though, so let me get jcleppe for you.
You would take military science course for your 4 years of college, so you would be in ROTC all four years. Without any military experience, it is highly recommended that you take all four years (MSI-MSIV). Your MSII (Sophmore) classes build on what you learned from your MSI classes. The same is true for MSII and MSIV.
You should talk to the ROTC Battalion at the college you plan to attend before you sign up for anything. They will be able to give you all the information regarding the SMP program. If you enlist you would then be a SMP cadet. if the battalion has slots available you could contract as early as the start of your sophomore year.
Don't just talk to your local recruiter, go talk with the ROTC Battalion first, they can help you through the process and make sure your on the right track.
Although there are ways you can skip your first 2 years of ROTC since you will have completed both BCT and AIT it's really not a good idea. FireFighter is right, it's best to complete all 4 years of ROTC.
Just as a side note, you can join ROTC, do the SMP program, and drill with a NG unit and not be required to attend either BCT or AIT, or you can just go to BCT and not go to AIT. This is why you should be talking with ROTC right now and not the local recruiter, you need to understand all your options and all the risks involved before you just go and enlist.